#290. Familiarity Breeds Ignoring

#290. Familiarity Breeds Ignoring

Choose one thing you regularly do in rehearsal. It could be anything: one phrase you say just before you start conducting, one activity you do in a warm-up, or one gesture you use a lot. Now think about whether it has impact. Anything used once has impact, but used...
#289. Faster Horses?

#289. Faster Horses?

“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” That wonderful quote is often attributed to Henry Ford. And though there is great debate as to whether he actually said it or not, the sentiment is absolutely fantastic. It...
#288. Habitual Sight

#288. Habitual Sight

Have you noticed yourself looking at the same few students as you teach or conduct? I do, and I find they fall into two categories: those who are always looking back at me, because it feels so wonderful to have that communication with them. Or, those kids that I fear...
#287. What Tool Would Be Best?

#287. What Tool Would Be Best?

If I asked you to fix a loose screw on a wall fixture, would you grab a hammer out of your toolkit? Or a saw? Or a chisel? Probably not. Because you know the best thing to use to accomplish that goal is a screwdriver. Well, I often think of the shape of our left hand...
#286. Are We Setting Expectations?

#286. Are We Setting Expectations?

I have always believed that the warm-up portion of any rehearsal can be incredibly fruitful – or the biggest waste – of time. And of all the things we need to accomplish during that potentially valuable time, I think the most significant one is not something they will...